Gallery: Colorful Rugs for the Kitchen Floor

We know you're still cleaning out cupboards and organizing pots and pans as part of the Cure. Decorating may be a ways off. But we thought we'd give you a little jolt of colorful inspiration. A pretty rug is a quick way to add life to a kitchen (and perhaps cover up ugly floors). The problem is that it's bound to get dirty. So all of these choices are either made of a durable outdoor fabric that's easy to clean, or they're cheap enough that you can toss 'em when they get nasty.

Most of these rugs come in multiple sizes. A small 2x3 would be perfect for a tiny spot of color; a runner would work great in a long galley kitchen.

1. Negril Indoor/Outdoor Rug from Dash & Albert, $34 for a 2x3. If you read Apartment Therapy regularly, you're probably familiar with this company. They make colorful, beautiful, won't-break-the-bank rugs that we love (we have one in our bedroom). Their indoor/outdoor rugs are made of a slightly spongy polypropylene that can be scrubbed with soap and water and holds up to lots of traffic. We love this bright, summery stripe.

3. SIGRID Rug from IKEA, $24.99 for 8'2" x 2'7". This reminds us of watermelon and popsicles. And it's inexpensive enough that you could switch it out after summer.

4. Zigzag Rug from West Elm, $39 for 2x3. Do you have a more neutral palette? Not so big on pink or green? This rug gives you just a hint of red, and the black should hide dirt pretty well.

5. Clover Outdoor Rug from Pottery Barn, $49 for 2x3. Another outdoor material, this time from Pottery Barn. The pattern makes it feel a bit living room-ish, which might be nice for a kitchen that opens up into the rest of the house.

6. Graphic Cotton Mat in Yellow from Pottery Barn, $14.99 for 2x3. Get it while you can... This rug is on sale, and we couldn't resist the bold yellow. Yes, it may show more dirt, but it's reversible, so you can flip it over to prolong its life. And, hello, it's $14.99.

7. Celia Indoor/Outdoor Rug from Ballard Designs, $55 for 2x3. A wee bit more expensive, but this is another indoor/outdoor material that's meant to hold up to heavy use. It's thicker than the others--almost like a wool pile--but the graphic pattern felt appropriate for a kitchen.

8. Lollipop Blossom Dhurrie from Anthropologie, $78 for 2x3. This rug is definitely not a throwaway, given its price. But it's a flat dhurrie that can be cleaned (although they recommend having a professional do it), and we think the busy pattern would hide dirt pretty well. We first spotted this rug in this post, and we've been thinking about it ever since. Wouldn't that get you energized to cook?